The Following undoubtedly keeps getting better, and also… a lot more disturbing.

The Following Review “The Poets Fire”

Carrolls Progeny

There is one thing from “The Poets Fire” that likely has stuck with you as the most shocking, most terrible thing of the entire series thus far. And what is it? It’s what Emma and Jacob are doing to the young, kidnapped Joey. Because it’s not torture. It’s… brainwashing, in a way. They’re crafting him to grow up as a killer. We saw in the episode that he was encourage to hurt two animals, including a mouse. He’s being taught that it’s fun, and good to do. He’s going to start having these beliefs, and then they may never be able to shake him of them. (Well, if he is exposed to them for a long period of time, such as a year.)

Joey’s Departure

Well, spoiler: he killed himself! I didn’t find the dim-witted Joey a character worth keeping around, so I’m not too bothered by his death. But I was incredibly bothered by his death scene, so much so that I had to shield my face from the TV screen. The texture of that gauze… and imagining what it would be like to force it down your throat… that’s just terrible.

Maggie Kestser

The sixth cult member was revealed to be Maggie Kester, who was such a good actress she had the FBI fooled. But she never had me fooled, and I wonder if I’m the only one who, right away, called that she was totally faking her tears/fears.

Deliberate Error?

I’m excited, because there’s something incredibly compelling and curious for us to discuss. (It reminds me of LOST!) The confetti thrown by “Poe” in this episode had this quote on it: “The gen’rous Critick fann’d the Poet’s Fire, And taught the World, with Reason to Admire.” But Edgar Allen Poe did not write this, it was Alexander Pope. Did the characters do this on purpose, or did the writers?